4th Place | “Paris Over Paradise”

4th Place
March/April 2012
“Paris Over Paradise”
Ricky Young
Raleigh, North Carolina

Suitcase packed, no words were said
Diamond ring laying on the bed
Four years hanging on a thread, then she said
You know that it’s not you, it’s me
There’s a world I’ve gotta see
Our last kiss landed on my cheek

She picked a plane ride over a plain little life
Needed neon lights, not a Carolina sky
She left these old dirt roads where we fell in love
She longed for little tea cups not the sweet iced tea
Longed for life over love as she followed a dream
And damnit, she didn’t even roll the dice
She picked Paris over paradise

Not a day that passes by
When a tear don’t pass my eyes
Memories of when we laughed, and cried
I’ll never fully understand
All the reasons that she left
And I wonder what she’s doing now

She’s planning parties til 5, and not a family of 4
Riding foreign little cars not this beat up Ford
Flying down the wrong side of the road, but not on these back roads
She walking runways, like a runaway train
Choosing fashion over passionate love making days

And damnit, she didn’t even roll the dice
She picking Paris over paradise

Sometimes she has to get lonely
Wishing she could hold me
Oh but if only
She’d picked a simple life over a oneway flight
And a Carolina sky where these stars burn bright
If she had taken that old dirt road, and turned right in my arms
If she had chosen those passionate love making days
Instead of runways like a runaway train
But she never even rolled the dice
She picked Paris over paradise